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Goodyear to Build Conveyor Belt Technical Center

22 August 1997

Goodyear to Build Conveyor Belt Technical Center

    AKRON, Ohio, Aug. 22 --  To strengthen its worldwide
leadership in the conveyor belt industry, Goodyear Engineered Products
announced today that it will build a $3.7-million technical center at its
Marysville, Ohio, conveyor belt headquarters.
    Goodyear Vice President Terry Persinger said the center signifies a
commitment to its growing list of conveyor belt customers worldwide -- a $2-
billion industry.
    The 6,900-square-foot addition, to be completed in 1999, will house
state-of-the-art test equipment and an engineering staff to develop advanced
technology for conveyor belt customers, Persinger said.
    "We plan to remain the world's largest conveyor belt manufacturer,"
Persinger said.  "A renewed focus on the customer and on belt technology will
be featured in our new technical center located at our conveyor belt
headquarters in Marysville."
    Kevin Kramer, general manager for Goodyear's conveyor belt business, said
the technical center will support customer service worldwide and plant
manufacturing in Marysville; Bowmanville, Ontario; Spring Hope, N.C.;
Uitenhage, South Africa; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; Valencia,
Venezuela; and Bayswater Australia.
    "With the higher operating demands being required from our conveyor belt
customers," Kramer said, "we will meet these needs with advanced technology.
    "We're investing in the future with cost-effective, performance-driven
products.  Technology will be the driving force in the conveyor belt
industry," Kramer said.
    Goodyear Engineered Products, with more than $1.2 billion in sales last
year, is led by conveyor belts as its largest entity, but also includes
businesses in power transmission products, hose, automotive belts, molded
rubber products, air springs and replacement products.

SOURCE  Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company